Father to Son
by SofiaDragon
Summary: AU - Luke goes with Vader on Bespin, and how it all works out. The whole cast is accounted for, Thrawn gets involved, and all heck breaks loose. R
1. The Meeting

Author's note: Just a what if that got way out of hand. Been writing it for 4 years now, and it is well outlined and all, so this is not written on the fly. I hate it when people don't spell-check etc. before they publish. Hope you enjoy this! If you want more and can't wait for me to upload head over to my Websight to read the next chapters. I've written 6, typed 4.

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Chapter 1: The Meeting Now chapters have seperate pages. 

Luke clung to the thin rod sticking out of the antenna. He hoped it wouldn't break off, sending him down the seemingly bottomless shaft in Cloud City. Darth Vader stood at the junction between the main catwalk and the small ledge that wound around the structure Luke clung to, apparently not so inclined to try the balancing act himself. 

"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father…" Vader's voice came at Luke. 

"He told me enough! He told me you killed him." Luke spat the words at the dark Lord, vicious, accusing, and meant to sting. 

"No Luke, I am your father." The low purr at which the words came out seemed gentle, in comparison to the Lords normal tone, which wasn't saying much at all. Luke just screamed. 

"No! It can't be true! It just can't be!" a tear ran down Luke's pain stricken face. This man who severed hand could not be his father. Luke couldn't be a son to this sithspawn, could he? 

"Search your feelings Luke, you know it to be true." There was truth behind these words. No, he wouldn't believe it! An image rose before Luke's eyes. 

A man, with blond hair and blue eyes, was running for his life through a familiar swamp. A tiny bundle in his arms was obviously important as he again and again sheltered it from whipping branches and vines. There was a crashing behind the man, and the hum of hungry lightsabers. Suddenly there was a clearing, a waiting ship was there, safety was in that ship and that was where this maddening chase would end. The man got in and blasted off – the lightsabers broke into the clearing just as he cleared the first tree. 

The man relaxed as they entered hyperspace, then jumped as a sound emitted from the bundle now resting on the copilot's chair. He went into a small cupboard and came out with a warm bottle. The man picked up the infant, brushed aside the blanket, and fed the fussing blue- eyed child. A smile came to a face unaccustomed to such an exercise. 

Luke was once again standing in Cloud City. He tried desperately to find some small bit of deceit, any micron of untruth, the smallest fragment of a lie in the image, but you cannot find what isn't there. Finally Vader spoke again. 

"I spent three months running. From my master, who would have seen you as a nuisance and a distraction and killed you. From Obi-Wan and your mother who thought I didn't deserve you. From the Jedi who wished to kill me because I use the dark side. From my own fear that you would be taken away, or get me killed, or be killed yourself. Come back to me Luke." Luke would have been persuaded, but the lack of emotion in Vader's voice was disturbing to him. The Dark Lord realized his error immediately. 

"What happened after three months?" was all Luke could manage. He was starting to feel the effects of the blood loss. 

"Obi-wan found you." This simple answer didn't quite quench Luke's thirst for knowledge. 

Luke ventured further, "Is that when you…?" 

"Yes it was." Vader was quick to cut Luke off before he could mention his injuries. The venom with which the statement was made delved them both into a deep silence. At length Vader spoke again, all emotion once again filtered from his voice. "I had only left you in our hiding place alone for a short time. I had to buy some supplies and then we would move again. Obi-wan took you back to his ship. I went after him, and we fought. I lost, badly. Obi-wan left me for dead." 

Luke slipped from both loss of blood and the immensity of what he was being told. He managed to grip another rod with his left hand. He tried to make his way back to the main catwalk, but only made it halfway before his blurring vision and shaky footing forced him to stop. Luke looked helplessly at his father. 

Vader stepped out onto the platform, but kept one hand on the catwalk railing. He reached out to his son, and lifted him with the force. Luke floated over to the catwalk and Vader released his hold on the boy. Luke promptly crumpled to the floor. Vader shot a quick eye around to make sure they were still alone, then gently picked him up and let Luke lean on him as they walked off the catwalk. Luke passed out as they reached the hallway. 

* * *

Vader stood in the medroom looking down on the bed where his son lay. Luke began to stir and an impulse overtook the dark Lord. He reached down and put his hand over his son's new replacement hand. Luke's eyes opened. 

"Where am I?" the voice seemed weak and distant to Luke, although it was his own. 

"The Super Star Destroyer Executor, medical bay, orbiting Bespin. The Emperor should contact me soon." Vader removed his hand, and resisted the impulse to further comfort the boy. The day that Darth Vader went soft would be… 

"The Emperor would want to talk about me, wouldn't he?" Luke interrupted Vader's self-scolding. 

"Yes…" a thought suddenly slammed into Vader. Long ago he was told something that now sent a shock wave through him that rivaled the Death Star's explosion. Three, but there could not be more than… 

Luke cleared his throat, "Is something wrong?" He was, of course, hesitant to ask. However, Luke was simply too curious not to say anything into the silence. 

"It's one of the most basic rules, how could I have missed it? He expects me to walk right into it…" The Dark Lord was talking fast and making little sense to Luke, who was left to stare at the door and wonder about his father's sanity. 

* * *

The hologram of the Emperor was imposing enough, but now it seemed more so because now Vader would have to lie to him. And what a lie this would be! He hoped he could pull it off. "Rise, my friend." Palpatine's voice came to Vader; "You have captured Skywalker." It wasn't a question. 

"No my master. I feel he will return to me…" Vader put all the reassurance and truth he could behind the statement. 

"You failed?" he was visibly surprised "I saw trough the force as you fought and defeated him. What went wrong?" Palpatine was angry, and the cold chill that fell around Vader didn't help his backbone at all. 

"The Stormtroopers who where escorting Skywalker to his cell allowed him to escape. He used the force to trick them into thinking he was still standing next to them and…" 

**"Excuses!"** was the howling reply. The hard stare he was given said things his master's voice would not offer. '_You should know better than to blame others when you are at fault' _and '_this was a preventable problem, why didn't you prevent it?'_ again the booming voice came at Vader "Do not return to Coruscant without him!" the angry face and enraged voice faded. 

Vader was too petrified to move for another minute. Then he walked over to a wall panel completely indistinguishable from the rest and pushed one of the rivets in the metal like a button. He had built the door into his chambers himself, so only he knew where it was or how to get in. He spent a handful of seconds watching the rise and fall of his son's chest as he slept, marveled at how soothing his present occupation was, and tore himself away to seek his own bed. 

* * *

Luke awoke in a small room. The walls and furniture were black metal, standard imperial issue, yet this wasn't a prison cell. The bed was padded and he had a small chest in the corner for his belongings. Although what he had to put in there didn't seem to warrant its existence. The strangest part of the room was the door, or rather the lack of one, a nice way to keep him in one place without a squad of troops. Since there was nothing else to do Luke opened the chest. 

He noted the items as he pulled them out: his lightsaber; a heavy book with no title; two changes of clothes, black, military style without rank markings; and a third set of clothes, this time a long black hooded robe, tunic, and pants. Luke had no desire to look like some imperial wannabe. He stripped off the medroom gown and put on the robes, realizing as he did so that they were cut like Old Ben's robes. 

He was surprised to see his lightsaber, maybe Vader trusted him more than he realized. Though he can't cut through a door he can't find. Luke put the lightsaber on his belt and placed the clothes in the chest. Since there was no reason not to, he opened the book and began to read. Better to be just stuck instead of stuck and bored. 

* * *

Darth Vader stalked along the corridor of his Super Star Destroyer. _Force help me if this doesn't work_. The same thought had been in his mind since he realized what would happen when he recruited Luke. There could only be two Sith at any one time, and that meant one of them would have to die. Luke was young and would most likely become the new apprentice if he survived. The Emperor was old, but still powerful. It would take a lot to get rid of him. _And I'm not just going to lie down and die either._ Vader had always been loyal to The Emperor, his master, but everyone has to die someday. He would train Luke, then return to his master on Coruscant, and together they would kill the old master. 

He tried to convince himself that it wasn't what it seemed. He was not a traitor; it was a necessary action. When a Sith apprentice took on an apprentice of his own the old master had to go. The Emperor knew this. He had instructed Vader in that area of history; he knew what was coming. Vader had a plan. 

Vader was pleasantly surprised as the black door slid open and he was presented with the scene inside the small room. Luke had already started studying the book Vader would instruct him by, and was wearing his Sith apprentice robes no less! It would be an interesting experience to work with someone so eager for knowledge. 

"So, what are you going to do with me? Strait to Coruscant or will we meet the Emperor somewhere else?" Luke wasn't exactly eager to meet the man, but getting it over with was preferable to waiting around. At least he knew where the door was now. 

"We aren't going to meet the Emperor anywhere. You and I will be going to a small planet in the unknown regions on a training mission. There is no such thing as a Sith textbook, you will study from that one to complement your training. Once we are on planet I will instruct you personally; in the meantime stay here and keep quiet." 

Luke was surprised they weren't going to the Emperor, surprised and relieved. There was one thing Luke had to say, and it was out of his mouth before he could think about it. "I don't want to turn to the Dark Side." Allderanian dust! That sounded stupid! Luke hoped Vader wouldn't burst out laughing. 

Vader had started out the door, without facing him Vader spoke. "You don't have to." Now he turned to face Luke; "In fact it would be better if you didn't until you've had more training. Besides I have things for you to do that only a Jedi could." Once again Luke was sure Vader was talking in circles. 

* * *

"…But sir, I thought we had orders to be stationed with the perimeter fleet…" the lieutenant recited his previous orders to the Dark Lord. He would be dead already for questioning authority, if he hadn't been following regulations by doing so. Palpatine's orders where to be followed, and so the young man was in the right by pointing this out. 

"You will go ahead with the rest of the crew to follow the orders given to you. I am taking one of the shuttles. There is some personal business I need to see to." The second time around the command was a little less imposing, but no less powerful. "Admiral Piett is in charge. I'm leaving, now, so get my shuttle ready!" the Lieutenant practically fell over himself to get out of Vader's line of sight. 

It had been a week since they left Bespin. They were due in at a boarder patrol station to scare some motivation back into some lagging projects. Since these were important projects, they wouldn't risk Rebels finding the planet by sending out messages, even on a coded com channel, and given the present population, the Star Destroyer could do that without a crew, the natives were cowards. Vader wasn't going to the station. The Executor would drop out of hyperspace and let him and Luke off in their shuttle. There wouldn't even be a planet around to see them disembark, and the crew would be in communication's blackout due to hyperspace for another two weeks, and force knows how long until they left their station for Coruscant. A good head start, if Luke was as fast a learner as he seemed. 

Vader opened the door to Luke's room. "We are leaving as soon as my shuttle is ready, get into the military uniform and pack up. We go when I come back, be ready." The door shut and the Dark Lord grabbed up his own belongings, surprisingly few for such a wealthy man. 

Luke was ready when his father returned. A droid picked up Luke's chest and sped away; Luke fell in step with Vader. The reason given for his presence was that he was the pilot for the ship, but Vader took the controls as soon as the Star Destroyer returned to hyperspace. He was informed that the trip would take two days. 

_Great, Luke thought, trapped for two days in a small ship with a man I hardly know, most of the galaxy hates, and who wants me to be his apprentice._ Strangely Luke wasn't that worried, the force at work? His father, he had come to accept the fact after a long meditation during his stay in the small room, obviously needed him for something. He hoped that he could keep himself busy long enough that they wouldn't get too much time for the inevitable awkward conversation. 

Vader sat alone in the cockpit. Luke had gone to the back to study, and he could sense the boy's concentration. He wished this trip wasn't so long. At least Luke had something to do in the small ship; all Vader had to do is watch the controls, as if ships in hyperspace do anything except count down to arrival. 

* * *

That's all for today! 


	2. The Past Lives Again

Chapter 2: The Past Lives Again 

Luke couldn't believe his luck. It had seemed impossible to avoid his father on the small ship, but they had only spoken five words between them. Luke had stepped on his father's cape and fallen flat while saying "Excuse me" and he had been studying late the first night when his father had said "Get some rest." 

Now Luke sat in the copilot's chair next to Vader in the most awkward silence of his life. He could sense a few things through the force without even trying; so he knew that the feeling was pretty mutual. Here goes nothing… 

"So what is Honoghr? A desert, a forest, an ice ball, or grab bag?" Luke had his fingers crossed behind his leg. 

"Honoghr was temperate before the clone wars. A ship crashed into it and destroyed a lot of the ecology. The Noghri think of me as their leader because I was assigned to the negotiations for piece and was first to report the damage to their planet. They think I did more than I actually did, which suits our purposes because they won't ask questions. We shouldn't have too much trouble getting them to cooperate." To call the conversation 'stiff' was to redefine the word. 

"What, exactly, are we going to do when we get there?" small talk didn't seem an option, and the less words the better. 

"I'm going to train you." Vader wasn't enjoying this any more that Luke was, but it had to be done if they were to work together. They also would need trust, but Vader wasn't sure how to manage that. 

"Why don't you want to turn me to the dark side?" Luke had been convinced that turning him was the reason Vader and the Emperor wanted him, and that turn of events had bugged him. 

Does he not know how to ask easy questions!? After a few moments of thick silence, the counter reached zero and they pulled out of hyperspace. "Obi-wan didn't raise you to know when to keep quiet and count your blessings did he?" 

"Obi-wan didn't raise me at all." Luke was glad to finally to stop asking all the questions; he was starting to feel stupid. At least he knew something about this topic. 

"He didn't? I was under the impression that he raised and trained you on Tatooine until you were sent the two droids with the Death Star plans in them." Vader had a personal rule against small talk, but what was another broken rule when you've directly disobeyed and lied to the Emperor? 

"I grew up on Tatooine, but I lived with my Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen. I guess they aren't really my Aunt and Uncle though." As if there was any doubt. 

"Owen is Obi-wan's brother." There was a pause, "How did you manage to get off-planet with him holding your leash? He would never have let Obi-wan near you. The way I remember him, he is about as thick-headed as a bantha." For a short moment the tension lifted as they laughed as the image of a bantha with Owen's head attached to it flashed through the force. Then Luke got serious. 

"He was, that's true, but he's dead now..." Luke trailed off suddenly, then continued. "We bought those droids from the Jawas. The R2 unit was bent on finishing its mission for the Alliance and 3P0 was kind of, well, being 3P0. R2 went looking for Ben and I had to…" they had made it to planetary orbit and were hailed by someone. Luke thought he sounded a little strange, like he had a cold. 

"Unidentified shuttle, identify yourself and your purposes." The mewing Noghri voice came over the com. Vader absently wished he had another five minutes, then got a hold of himself. 

"This is Lord Darth Vader, clear a place for me to land." A bit much of his good mood got through his voice. 

"Yes, right away my Lord!" The surprise of the sentry pleased Vader, but he still wanted Luke to continue. However he managed to get away from Owen, it would be quite a story. Besides, maybe things would be easier between them if they knew more than name, rank, and home planet. _But he doesn't know your home planet does he?_ A small voice in the back of his head added, and was squashed quickly. 

They landed, and Luke was escorted along a dirt road to a hut like structure. The Noghri turned out to be small and gray. They reminded Luke of felines, only without fur and standing upright, if you could call that upright. It was night on this planet, and so Luke decided to lay down on the small bed, too small actually. His feet stuck over the edge. It was comfortable though, and Luke was soon asleep. 

* * *

Vader lie in his own bed, unable to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about their conversation on the shuttle. What had happened? For a few moments… something… had changed between them. One part of him felt guilty, another part wanted it to happen again, leaving him in the middle of a confusing mess. The facts were there. Luke laughed and the sound had done something to Vader and they laughed together. Had he rubbed the light side? Luke almost dripped force energy, and as far the light side of the force was all the boy knew. Could that be why he felt guilty, that he touched the light side? No, he hadn't done that. He felt guilty because… because… Damn! It isn't my fault I'm no good at this, if only Obi-wan hadn't kidnapped Luke. They he wouldn't be so jumpy around me. 

Then that little voice started again, and Vader had to agree with it. _Luke dropped his guard, as did I. We relaxed and enjoyed ourselves for a moment. It had felt good not to worry about anything for a few seconds, and I want it to happen again. I feel guilty because if I had fought better and defeated Obi-wan I could have bypassed all this tension. If I had fought better it could have been that way for the past two decades._

For the first time since the Emperor had convinced him otherwise, Vader saw that the hate he had directed to the universe for putting him in pain and taking away what he wanted most, was his own fault. When he did eventually sleep, he had a dream. In it everyone he ever he cared about in the past was pointing out every mistake he made. Criticizing every move he made that had lost him something. That including a tiny bundle with bright blue eyes, screaming and crying, that he couldn't get to no matter how fast he ran. He awoke with a tear-stained pillow, although Darth Vader would never cry, nor would he admit how much the dream bothered him, even to himself. 

* * *

That night the force was flowing strong, and Luke too had a dream. At first he thought he was himself, but he soon realized that he was taller, and his hair cut differently – a long braid hanging down one side of his face. He had his lightsaber ready in his right hand as he walked through the hot caves. Urgency filled him, he had to succeed, and he had to be fast. There was no other choice. He came out into a large cavern, a crack in the floor of the cave belched superheated gasses, another sign of the activity in the volcano. To his right was a ship rested, ready to fly out the top of the collapsed cave. 

He could feel the touch on his mind, he wanted to run blindly into the ship, to reach his goal and find his son. He started toward the ship, a flat run. If his master were here he would run him over. It didn't matter; the force told him he would see his son again. He was almost to the door when Obi-wan appeared. The master looked much younger to Luke, but the man he was now just wanted to keep running, strait into the ship to get his son at top speed. 

"Stop, Anakin! I can not allow you in there!" the order was firm, but meant nothing to this man. The door to the ship slammed shut in Anakin's face, he turned to Obi-wan. _How dare he stop me! How dare he get in my way! _Anakin slashed at Obi-wan with his lightsaber, but was blocked. He swung around, cutting at the older man again. Lightsabers crashed between them as they danced across the cave. They came nearer to the crack in the floor, which was neither as small or shallow as Anakin first thought. That didn't matter though, all that mattered was Luke right now. 

_I'm coming little one; Daddy will be there soon. Don't cry; I'll be all right. I'll come and pick you up and we can play with your little toys soon, your not alone, don't cry_. Anakin pushed as much reassurance though the force as he could. Luke, sensing the fight outside, had started to cry and Anakin couldn't just let that happen. He hated Obi-wan for this. What was his problem anyway? Anakin had to get to his son. The dark side roiled inside him, but was hampered by the love he had for his son._ Don't cry; I'll be there and I'll pick you up and hold you over my head so you can fly. I'll make sure you're never ever without me again. Don't worry about me; I'm fine_. But he wasn't fine. Obi-wan was slashing at Anakin now, and all he could do was block. Obi-wan cut high, then twisted around for a slash at Anakin's legs, then twirled to deliver another blow from the left. He tried to cut Anakin in half from the right, and the block was almost too late. This is getting ridiculous; there was no way I can win like this. 

Anakin jumped high out of reach, onto a ledge over the crack; his only available refuge. "Obi-wan, please. He is my son, why would I hurt him? What reason do you have for keeping me away from him?" Kenobi was shocked at the sudden surrender. "And even if I did, I would have done it already and not run around the galaxy trying to keep him safe." 

"It's not you Anakin, it's Vader and Palpatine. They would kill him." 

"I'm Vader. It's a code name Palpatine uses for me." He must not be well informed, spends too much time tracking me and not enough time doing his homework. 

"He is another person almost. He is a side to you that Amindala and I both fear. The dark side…" 

"Your not making sense. I use the dark side when I need to. I mostly use light. It's just another tool, and like every tool I can chose when I want to use it and when another tool will do the job better. Right now I hate you for what your doing, but I love him, so I can't use either with any kind of accuracy." 

"We used to be friends…" 

"Until you kidnapped my son!" 

"How long until the power of the dark side becomes more important than him? You can't speak for Palpatine." 

"I want my son." _Nothing is more important than my son you blithering idiot! Now let me through!_

"Amindala misses him." 

"Then I'm going with you. Then you'll see how much I care for him, you can even watch me when I'm with him to make sure I don't do anything." 

"She is afraid of you." 

"She shouldn't be, I still love her despite what you may have told her." And you wonder why we are no longer friends. 

"I've only told her the truth" 

"Another reason for me to come, to let her judge for herself." 

"Palpatine would kill him, you know that." 

"That's why I ran. Trust me once more and let me come with you. I've seen with the force that he will be returned, one way or another, to me." He was pleading now. Luke was screaming for him, he could feel the vibrations in the force. He had to comfort the child. Couldn't Obi-wan sense their connection? Didn't the council realize that he could never full turn to the dark side because of Luke? Isn't that why they were hiding him from Palpatine? Isn't that why Palpatine would kill him? He was not being selfish with the boy; he needed Luke as a link to his sanity. "Can't you understand me Obi-wan? Can't you see what is going on here, what I am trying to do?" 

"You're trying to become a Dark Lord of the Sith! I understand perfectly." With that Obi-wan threw up his lightsaber, cutting the rock ledge off the wall. 

Anakin had no time to react. The ledge fell down into the crevice below. The burning hot air and sulfur enveloped and choked him. He gasped at the burns on his skin, succeeding only in searing his throat and down into his lungs. The ledge caught as the crack narrowed, and Anakin took his chance to leap up out of the boiling air, only barely making it over the edge. He instantly met with a slashing blade across his chest, curving to cut through right wrist. He tried to run for it, but Obi-wan was too quick and strong. Obi-Wan collided with him fell, Anakin split his scull on a sharp rock, then everything went black. 

* * *

Luke woke up. He was sweating and crying and still felt the pain were his father had been cut. Instinct took over, and Luke ran out of his house/room as fast as he could. Luke ran up to the door, knowing on instinct that it was the right one, knocked the guard flat, passed through the airlock, and came inside his father's home. He saw his father sitting on the edge of his bed; apparently he had just woken up and had been crying. Luke registered this, but his own hurt mad it impossible for him to contemplate the fact that Darth Vader didn't cry often, or for nothing. He wasn't crying now but Luke was, and he threw himself into his father's arms, hugging him and weeping heavily. The dark Lord was stunned, but didn't push him away or say anything. Instead he simply returned Luke's embrace, letting his own nightmare fade into the past, even shedding a few fresh tears to mingle with his son's. 

*He ran past like an animal! Knocked me into the next building and was inside with a flash.* The guard explained to the reinforcements in his native language that had come to his alarm. Normally they never intruded on their Lord, but they were honor bound to see if the attacker had been dealt with and to apologize for allowing him through. The door opened and the scene inside made them all stop short. The 'attacker' was sobbing openly on their Lord's shoulder and mumbling about someone named Ben. Their Lord was not only tolerating this, but quietly shedding tears as he hugged the younger man, and both looked quite shaken by human standards. Their Lord raised his hand and waved them away, this was not for them to see. 

Vader listened as Luke described his dream in horrific detail. It must have been very vivid, as he spoke as if he had gone through it himself. The scar across the Dark Lord's chest burned with memory as his son explained how it came into existence, Luke knew the pain, and he had the knowledge of his kidnapping. He knew what Vader went through to get him back; knew that Vader had failed to do it. Worst of all, he knew why. 

Vader had made a resolution wile he was healing, a person has a lot of time to think in a bacta tank. He said that he would never be so weak to let himself be taken advantage of again. He would love no one. He would shut out his feelings. He would be what the emperor wanted him to be, strong. 

Now Luke knew that he could be loved by his father. That he had been loved, and missed, and fought for. Luke wanted that again. He had lived his life wondering about his parents. He had listened to people say that he, as an orphan, was not wanted or needed or that he was abandoned and that made him worth less. 

Now Luke knew. Not just was told, not just wanted to believe, but knew that he was wanted and loved and just as good as anyone else. And he wanted Vader to show it. The problem was that Vader wasn't sure if he could. He wanted to, it didn't sit well with him to push the boy away, but to let himself go soft? If he did give in, he couldn't take it back. It was a decision he had to make now that would change things irreversibly for them. If he didn't give in, he could later, but would there be a better chance… The voices in his dream came back at him, accusing him of abandoning his son, and a thousand other charges, each too true for him to bare. 

Without a word Vader brushed the tears off Luke's face, brought him close in a tight hug, and let him fall asleep in his father's arms. When Vader was sure he was asleep, Vader kissed the top of Luke's head, much as he had so many years before, and lay him down in the bed. Once again the gift of comfort was given from father to son. Sofia Dragon: Thank you all for reading! Please review and come back for more! 


	3. Forces Gathering

Chapter 3: Forces Gathering 

Luke woke up slowly. His bed was soft, the blanket warm, and the thick air made him drowsy. He knew he would be up in seconds if imperials attacked, but for now he let himself sink deep into the warm bed. He worked hard to be his best, but what was one morning? Luke's sleep-clouded mind couldn't, or wouldn't, remember why, but last night had been much less than relaxing. Some time later, it could have been hours or seconds, he felt a hand shaking his shoulder. 

"You should wake up now, it's getting late." Vader's voice was soft and gentile. He had let the boy sleep in, he deserved it and Vader had needed the time to think. He decided that his relationship with Luke would be different than any other he ever had. They were more than master and apprentice, more than Knight and padawan, they were father and son. Vader was slightly intimidated by the fact. He had never had a father or anyone that had come close to filling the position. Could he possibly pull off something he had had no experience in? 

Luke sat up, remembering where he was and why. He looked up at his fathers scarred face. "I don't remember a lot of what happened last night." He admitted. His father sat down next to him and put his arm around Luke's shoulders. "I remember the dream, a bit too well, and running in here, but not much else." He looked down at his hands, realizing suddenly that he had run through the streets wearing his nightclothes. 

"You came in crying. You told me about your dream and fell asleep. Are you alright?" It had taken a conscious effort to comfort Luke the night before, Vader hoped it would be easier today. 

With their backs to the door, neither of the two men saw Rukh, a Noghri bodyguard assigned to Grand Admiral Thrawn, come in to announce his lord's arrival. "I'm alright. I guess that dream shook me up a little, it was a little too real for me." 

"Fair enough, living through it changed my life." Vader squeezed his son close for a moment. "And it's good to know that you will come to me when you need help." A ripple of shock ran though the room, but it didn't come from Luke. 

Suddenly Rukh found himself being stared at by four identical blue eyes. "Grand Admiral Thrawn has sent me to tell you of his arrival in the system and to communicate his surprise that…" 

"Get out." Two voices told him. Rukh quickly decided that not delivering Thrawn's message would have lesser consequences than disobeying Lord Vader and whoever-it-was he was talking to, and left as fast as possible. 

"I had your clothes brought here, I advise you put them on." Vader said as he got up and crossed the room to the small kettle on a heating pad. He took his time filling two cups of steaming brown liquid, so that Luke would be dressed when he was finished. Then he handed Luke his cup. "Here, drink this. We'll have to meet with Thrawn soon." Vader took a long sip, "I'd like to keep you in range in case you have a flashback." 

Luke had a feeling there was more to his father's actions than that, but he probably wouldn't get an answer if he asked about it. "What is this anyway? It tastes great." Luke wasn't about to fall into that same uneasy silence again. 

"Hot chocolate, it's not all that common anymore. Smugglers seem to snub anything without alcohol, and most bureaucrats think it's too common for them. It used to be very popular among Jedi." 

"I've heard a lot about those officials. Obi-Wan used a Krayt Dragon call to scare away some sand people once. When I asked him how it was done he said it took a lot of wind and a set of well used vocal chords, and if I was an Imperial bureaucrat he'd be able to show me." The two laughed as they finished their drinks. Luke helped his father into his suit, then they headed toward a large building in the center of the village. It seemed the only thing Imperial built besides the small spaceport. 

Luke was surprised by Admiral Thrawn's appearance. One of the biggest reasons the rebellion was formed was because non-humans where treated as second class citizens. Thrawn had light blue skin, dark blue hair, and bright glowing red eyes. One thing was certain: the only way he could have made it so high on the ranks was by being the best out there. Luke doubted that if Thrawn disagreed with whatever it was that his father was doing there wouldn't be much of a choice for what they would have to do. 

"Grand Admiral Thrawn, what a pleasant surprise." This would be tricky, but Vader had a hunch it would work. If he could just pull it off long enough. 

"Lord Vader, I heard you where coming to the rim, but I had not expected you to come out so far." His tone even, his manner casual, Thrawn did not betray any of his curiosity. Vader could see through all that with the force, but knew Luke had not yet learned to make sense of his alien mind. 

"A small but important project," he said as he rested his hand on Luke's shoulder. "One that is rather overdue as it turns out." Vader laughed internally, 'rather overdue' didn't quite cover the twenty odd years of his son's life that he had missed. Wait, when was his birthday? 

"Really, and may I ask who that is? I don't recall ever seeing anyone of discernable rank in the Imperial military that he even vaguely resembles." _Ha!_ Knowing Thrawn, 'discernable rank' meant anyone from mechanics on up. The slight emphasis on 'Imperial' meant he knew about Luke's involvement in the rebellion. Yes… that would just about do it. 

"He is not currently assigned to any rank in any military." Let's just make this as confusing as possible, I have to drag this out. Thrawn had an obsession for knowledge. Not being sure of himself and his information would be a strange situation for the man, he was used to being on top of things. He would view Luke as a no-name civilian on a military world who happens to be a pet project for a Dark Lord of the Sith and is obviously important enough to hide. There would be no way for Thrawn to turn away from this challenge until he figured out why I'm doing this. Not unless he gets a brain transplant or personality upgrade. Or suddenly becomes a master of the force. 

"Why would you bring a civilian to a military planet so far from the mainstream Imperial worlds?" 

Well, that was a lot more direct than I expected. "That is personal information. I'm sure your aware of how little of that I posses, and how important rare information is." One of Thrawn's dark eyebrows lifted, but Vader bowed out of the room before the question could be asked. 

Luke was completely lost, and so he walked in silence until they reached Luke's quarters. "Mind telling me what that was about?" Luke asked as his father leafed through the Jedi book. 

"Thrawn is an intelligent man. His greatest strength is his ability to collect and utilize information, but it is possible to use that against him. He thought he knew who you were, it's entirely possible that he was correct. All I did was make him second guess his information. I'd say that right now he's pouring over a computer screen somewhere trying to figure out what part of this whole mess I'm lying about. The problem is I'm not lying about anything. You are a no-name civilian on a military world who just happens to be a pet project for a Dark Lord of the Sith that is important enough to go to great lengths to hide. Of course he won't believe half of that. Hell, he won't believe any of that. I have no personal life, I do not have pet projects and do not go on side trips or vacations without being directly ordered to do so. I would never bring along some worthless civilian to a military world for no reason and do not hide things unless there is great risk involved. I have never in recent memory worked undercover or behind the collective back of the Imperial military, particularly the Emperor. I'm a stupid, loyal monster that does exactly what it's told without question. Erratic or creative behavior is beyond my capabilities, or so most believe." Luke seemed to take this all in stride. 

"So you're stalling for time. Time for me to do whatever it is you need me to do before I turn to the dark side. You wouldn't mind telling me what it is you need me for would you?" The connection between the two of them seemed to have tripled in strength since last night. Luke didn't even need to try anymore. 

"Here it is, read it for yourself." Vader offered Luke a page in the large leather-bound book. The words "The Art of Jedi healing" where written in decorative script across the top of the page. Luke started looking through the chapter. "This is what I need you to learn. I've got a plan, it's shaky, but it should work. It is a big risk, but we don't have any choices right now." Vader put his hands on his son's shoulders and looked the younger man strait in the eye. "I need this Luke. If I could do anything to get out of this suit I would in a heartbeat, but I can't. You have the power to heal me, to erase the scars left on me by Obi-Wan. I wasn't going to tell it to you this way, but that dream has changed things." There was a pause as Vader probed Luke's mind. "And it most certainly is not your fault." Luke squirmed. 

"You were going after me…" Luke had barely started when he was cut off. 

"You were three months old, what could you have possibly done? Don't say it, don't even think it. If you were never born than I'd be worse off than I am now, either completely insane or dead or good as dead." Vader smiled behind his mask despite the pain it caused him. "You remind me of myself, even in this." 

"I wasn't thinking that. I do feel guilty about it, but only because I know I can't help." That's the past Father, when I thought I would never get off Tatooine, not now. You're looking too close. 

Vader stepped back, putting up his hands in surrender. "I'm trying to be your father, I'll be the first to say I'm not the best at this job. And you can help. This chapter will explain everything you need to know about healing, and a lot of things you'll probably need in the near future. Once I'm in fighting condition again we can move on to the next step in the plan." 

"What is this plan anyway?" All this secrecy didn't make sense. 

It had to come out sooner or later, I would have picked later but… "We are going to kill someone." That should do it for now. 

"The Emperor." 

Looks like I spoke too soon. Well, if he guessed it he guessed it, no point in lying about it. _No point in lying to him ever_, the voice inside him added. "Yes, now you should start studying; we may not have a lot of time." Vader left Luke to his studies, and hoped for the best. 

* * *

Thrawn sat pouring over a datapad and stack of datacards as Rukh watched. It was easy for Rukh, who had spent so much time around Thrawn, to see that he was frustrated. "Anything I can help with my Lord?" 

"That boy. He must have some connection to Vader or the Imperial military, and yet he dose not. There is a rebel that could pass as his twin, but he is accounted for on some mission that there is no available information about. The worst thing about this is that Vader wants me to do this. He wants me to stay here and to try and figure this out. He presented me with a puzzle and expects me to solve it, but in due time. A truly frustrating position." Thrawn's even tone is that of a calm thinker, smooth and low. As if he was commenting on the weather in a library. 

"Lord Vader said that the two of them are here on personal business. Dose that not mean that it is not for you to know?" 

Thrawn dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand. "Lord Vader thinks personal business is anything not ordered by the Emperor. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the Imperial military." 

Did he just insult Lord Vader? No, he just does not know him as well as the Noghri do…"Forgive me, but I must disagree with that. I saw Lord Vader talking to the younger man before he ordered me out of his chambers. I could not help but overhear their words. I do not think that Lord Vader is here for any reason besides that he wished to be left alone with his chosen company." 

"Really? Please tell me what could have been so convincing." One dark eyebrow was lifted at this new source of information. 

"Their words were those of good friends, spoken in confidence. It would not be my place to repeat them." Rukh bowed in respect and left, but was slightly puzzled as to why Thrawn was pleased with his answer. It doesn't matter though, It's good to be home. I have not had that much time at home since I entered the service of the empire, he thought. It seems I'll be here for some time, that's good. I enjoy serving my Lords, but it is nice to be with my clan. 

* * *

Luke sat in his room. It was late at night, he needed sleep, but he couldn't. Han was out there, some ware. What could he do though? His X-wing was locked up tight in a hanger in the center of town, completely inaccessible. There was no real space traffic, so he couldn't jump a ship. R2 was locked up with the ship. More than anything though, he couldn't leave his father. He had spent four days with his father on Honoghr, and he couldn't leave. He had seen the scars on his father: the slash across his chest, the places where skin had been burnt off, the pain his father lived with every day. 

And there was something more, something in the bond between them that held him there. He couldn't forgive his Father for what he had done to get him here, but he couldn't ignore his motives either. _The ends don't ever justify the means, Luke. That is how the dark side thinks, and how it sucks you in_. The voice sounded distant, it had since Luke arrived. "You lied to me Ben. You distorted my past and cost me more then either of us know. Are those means acceptable, or don't you apply that philosophy to yourself?" There was no answer. 

* * *

Luke cut high, ducked the counter blow, and swung left at the Dark Lord. Vader chopped down to the right then brought his lightsaber around for a horizontal cut through Luke's stomach. Both were blocked, then Luke ducked under Vader's left arm and twirled around for a shot at the older man's back. Vader was around in a flash, and Luke's swipe was batted away. The two continued their dance, Vader using his strength and stamina, Luke using his speed and agility, until a small tone signaled the end of the mach. 

"You're getting better. Only two hits, neither actually hit your body." Vader said as he shut down the training saber. 

Luke studied his slightly crisped sleeve and warmed hair. If it hadn't been a training saber he would have had a haircut and a short-sleeve shirt. "Too close if you ask me. The arm I could replace, though I wouldn't want to, not my head." 

"I didn't hit your arm or your head, just your shirt and hair." Vader saw an opening and decided to push it. "A haircut wouldn't kill you, you know." 

"Wanna bet? See you'd have to kill me to make me sit still for it." Of all things his father had asked him, Luke would not cut his hair, it was an argument he had had with Aunt Beru, and Uncle Owen, and many rebellion officers and he wasn't going to change his mind now. 

Vader sighed, noting how much less difficult it was to do so. Luke had begun to test his healing abilities, and wile still a long way from a master, Luke was coming along very well. The difference was there, and Luke had completely healed the cut on his shoulder that he got wile fighting Luke on Bespin. 

Time was running out. twenty-two days had passed since Bespin, and in two more the Executor would finish it's mission and report to Coruscant. Another few days, maybe less, before the Emperor knows anything is amiss. Then six to twelve hours for him to put two and two together and get four. Optimistically, they had five days before the Emperor knew something was wrong, on the other hand he could already know by way of the force. Still, he could find out that Luke is with Vader on Honoghr and think that his loyal apprentice did not want to report failure or destroy such a valuable resource and was converting the boy or making him presentable. They had to be ready for any and all possibilities. 

Luke soaked up information at a fantastic rate. Owen must have sheltered him more than Vader had first realized, the boy was starved for knowledge. It reminded Vader of another young man with sandy hair and blue eyes, nearly begging his master to present him with more and more challenges and ideas. The silence they were in now was only gained because Luke was caching his breath and reviewing his mistakes during their sparing mach. As if there were that many mistakes. Soon he would regain himself and continue learning. 

"I finished the chapter this morning. I'd like to try something out." 

"I'd say take a rest if I thought you would. We do have limited time though. Grab some dinner and bring the book with you, I'll be waiting." Luke shot ahead and to the left. Vader wished he had more time. Every day they grew stronger together. As Luke grew in the force, Vader's heath returned and soon they would be strong enough, but they still needed more time than they had. Not just for training, but for… other things… that were just as needed. 

Ah, Thrawn is waiting outside my chambers. That man is positively glowing, I bet I can guess why without the force. "Back from yet another mystery trip to the plains? You do know he is a rebel don't you?" 

_'Mystery trip' is a bit melodramatic, now, I have been spending an absurd amount of time training Luke, but it is necessary. _"I know he was a rebel."_ Come on, gloat a little, let the Noghri know what we do. Yes I know you wouldn't do that normally, you don't rub it in when you win. _"Find anything else that is interesting?" _Come on, just a little gloating_. 

Thrawn smiled. "Why do you insist on playing this game? I know what you're doing, you are stalling. You want me to know something but you want me to figure it out first." 

"Right now all I want you to do is tell me if you found out anything interesting about the boy. His name perhaps?" _Oh I know you hate this, being manipulated is not your favorite pastime. Too bad for you then, I'm not done yet…_ Leaping Jedi Masters! If Luke thinks he's going to get away with that he's got another think coming, because I'm going to ram into his head! Luke was walking up to the pair, a piece of red fruit in hand. "I thought I told you to eat something?" 

Luke held up the fruit, showing a large bite out of it. "I did, see." 

"You can't learn anything if your brain doesn't have anything to work with, and I meant some type of dinner. Taking the time to study is fine, skipping meals for it isn't." Vader sighed and pushed Luke toward the airlock. "Get in there." 

"So he is your son." Thrawn said coolly. "His name is Luke Skywalker." 

"Well done." Vader turned away. 

"I thought you were going to tell me what is going on here." Thrawn's cool tone cracked just slightly. The smaller man had lost some of his confidence, if only his confidence in his source. 

"I never said that." Vader shut the door, and could sense Thrawn walking away in a much worse mood than he had approached. 

* * *

Luke took a deep breath as he gathered his cloak around him. The plan was ready. It had to be tonight. He didn't want to do this, but there wasn't any choice. Who else could they ask? He took another deep breath. No, there wasn't anyone they could ask; there wasn't anyone who could do it. 

Luke stopped outside the hut and drew upon the Force. He leafed through all his childhood memories, slowly sifting through each until he found the perfect mixture… 

The tears came softly at first. He walked, straight-backed and sure-footed, through the village. Slowly, as the memories became more vivid, the gentle tears became wracking sobs and the careful step a stumble. It was a relief to cry, to let out all the old feelings of loneliness, to be free of the pain of not having something that everyone had a right to have-that everyone he had known then did have. 

There was one memory that stood out and hit him with more truth than any of the others. Luke had been young, three or four, when he got his first speeder bike. He had wanted one more than anything else, or so he had thought. He'd climbed onto it that afternoon after a day of learning the controls and sped off toward Beggar's Canyon. A few kilometers into the north pasture, he had run into some bad-tempered thugs. The thugs had demanded to know who his father was that would let such a young boy ride alone. He had said he was old enough to ride around his own farm, but they wanted to take his speeder -- and him too. He could remember their words still. "No father? Then none to miss you when you're gone." 

Owen had arrived and chased off the thugs, but the damage had been done. He screamed, he cried, he kicked up more dirt than a sandstorm, and he did it until he fell down exhausted. He'd known then, as he knew now, that his father wasn't gone. Luke had always taken it as his own stubbornness that caused him to reject his father's death, but he knew now that he refused it because it was a lie. A lie, and he had known it without knowing it his entire life because of the Force. 

The Force. It pulsed and throbbed like a living thing inside him. All control was forgotten as more and more of the Force poured into him. Despite the vast amount of emotion Luke could feel, it was the light side. He teetered on the edge of dark, but did not fall. If he fell it would kill him. 

In his textbook, the Jedi trials had seemed gentle and kind compared to this rush. Anything, everything, that ever caused him pain or fear or hate in any amount was pushed through him again. It seemed a simple thing on paper. Walk two kilometers after a specific type of meditation. The point was to confront the force and accept it, and to let it accept him. He could feel the whole of the Force now, not just the little bits he used to do things normally. It was amazing, he felt as if he would both explode and float away at the same time. He couldn't possibly hold onto it for too long. He ran, still stumbling, as fast as he could go. 

He turned a corner and slammed into something solid. Luke looked up to see Rukh looking down at him. Luke slowly staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on the wall of the building Rukh had come out of. 

"What is wrong, sir?" the small alien asked. 

"I…I'll be all right, thank you for asking. Just have to get to Lord Vader's chambers before…" Luke never finished. A wave of the Force slammed into him, and he doubled over with the shock. "Ugh." 

"Are you all right, sir? Do you want anything?" Luke could focus the Force just enough to pick out the respect Rukh had for him. 

"Your shoulder to start with," replied Luke. Before the bewildered Noghri could ask what that meant, Luke grabbed his shoulder and used him as a crutch to get back against the wall. Luke was glad Rukh was stronger than he looked. "Thank you. I'm not myself right now. I have to get to Lord Vader's chambers…I got a bit turned around in the dark." 

"It is just over there; here, I will help." Rukh pointed down the street, then offered Luke his arm. 

"I can walk, really I can." Rukh stayed near in case Luke fell again. "Sometimes the Force is more a burden than anything. A price for everything, I guess." A sudden flicker in the Force caused Luke to spin around and lose his balance. "Thrawn, please step back a bit I…I can't be near you right now." 

Standing in the doorway, Thrawn spoke to him in his normal cool tone. 

"You seem distracted. I've never heard of a Jedi getting lost on such a simple quest." 

"Stay back, please stay there." Luke begged. Thrawn was an intelligent man, surely he would understand. "You have such strong thoughts. I can't filter the Force right now. It's bad enough where you are…I'm not good at explaining it," Luke admitted. 

"Why do you let Rukh stand so close?" A simple question. 

"Noghri minds are quiet, as a hunter's mind should be. Doesn't alert the senses. You think loudly; it's just the way you are. Your thoughts are stronger than mine are." Surely Thrawn would understand what it would mean if his thoughts were stronger. Luke was holding onto a thread as it was, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides, Thrawn would want his mind read. 

It seemed as if he was right-Thrawn stepped back a bit. 

"Well, we can't have that. Lord Vader will be able to help you?" 

"No, he needs my help. We have a tight link." He did have to get to his father, but he had to stop the test himself. Then he had to put his father into what was hopefully his last healing trance. "We help each other. That is the way a Padawan should act." Not again… 

"A what?" Thrawn inquired, but Luke was caught in another wave, sinking slowly to his knees. 

"Excuse me, I have to get moving." Luke quickly finished his journey, leaning on the outer airlock door as he waited for the inner one to open. He still was having trouble, but it was getting easier to control the immense amount of power rushing through him. He could feel it cleaning him out, tuning his senses and teaching him to ignore the static. It was the purest form of learning - the rewriting of instincts. Luke would know how to touch the Force in its entirety and extract information for the rest of his life, and he would do it unconsciously. Thrawn would love something like this. A constant flow of information. 

The door opened and Luke walked in swaying. "Hello, father. Ready?" 

Vader looked at Luke a moment. 

"The more appropriate question is: are you ready?" The boy looked like he'd been through a war in the past hour. Anakin stood and walked over to comfort him. _No, wait! What am I doing?_ He stood in the center of the room. 

"Father, I'm fine…what are you doing?" Luke stared at the man. 

"Luke, can you give me your honest answer on something?" His son nodded and he continued, "I've been…I think I don't know who I am." 

"Come again?" 

_Luke looks as shocked as whoever I am right now is_. "I think I'd like some fresh air. Is that at all possible?" _I am Lord Darth Vader…I've been Lord Vader for the past twenty years, close to half of my life._

"You can stay out for a little while, but no more than an hour, okay? And I'm coming too." Luke put his hand on the man's shoulder 

. _Anakin's shoulder? Yes, I am Anakin to him; I must be for him to do that. Anakin has compassion. _"I want you to come." Anakin opened the air locks, and stepped out. He took a deep breath-the air smelled sweet, and so cold! He pulled his hood and cloak tight around him. "A bit chilly tonight." 

Luke's hand was still on his shoulder. "You enjoy this. I'll be glad when you are completely healed, though, I worry." 

"I know you do, and about more than me. I underestimated your friendship with Han and Leia; I've revised the plan to accommodate. The Emperor will present his own time to die, and I'm sure he has a plan for you. We just have to remember the thin line between hero and traitor-namely, that the hero did it right and the traitor screwed it up. The hero is the one that ends up breathing easily." He looked at Luke, who was in complete shock. Did that shadow just move? 

"You're letting me go? I can just leave?" Luke asked. 

Anakin thought a long moment. Rukh was listening in, and he had to word this well. "What you do when I am gone is up to you. However, I can pull some strings to make it easier for you, if you like." 

"I didn't think you'd let me out of the Imperial military after this." Luke replied blandly. 

"You certainly aren't going back into the Rebellion. That I will not have. At least, not in their navy. Now, if you would consider a nice desk job…" 

"I'll take a desk job when I cut my hair, scrap my X-wing, and have a ysalamiri surgically implanted on my back." Luke smiled. "That being never, naturally." 

"I'll have none of that tonight, we are running out of time and there are more important things to talk about. Things that Rukh shouldn't hear, so he should go to bed and get a good night's sleep like the rest of the village." 

"Well said." Luke turned in Rukh's direction, and in a moment the small creature was gone. "Now what is this about who you are?" 

"Vader is a Sith, and has all the personality traits that come with that. I only went by that name after I had turned to the dark side. Before then it was a code name, just like all the others I'd had during missions. I worked undercover a lot. Vader means "father," so you see I'd been hoping a lot. Anakin was before the mask, he… he has a different moral code, different priorities. The two are so different; you are about all they have in common besides appearance. And appearance isn't a very strong footing to base your personality on." It hurt to say it, but at least he wasn't lying to himself anymore. "I don't know who I am any more." 

"Maybe you don't have to chose. No, listen a minute. Vader existed for half your life, as Anakin did; you can't forget what either of them is. They are both a large part of you. If you want to go by your first name then that's fine with me, and it could help since you've separated yourself like this. I've noticed the change, the way you are calm one moment and practically screaming the next, and then the rare moments in the middle. Has it ever occurred to you that you could combine the two? Try to stay in that middle ground instead of fighting the change on all sides." Luke was staring at Anakin. 

"I'll need help," Anakin murmured quietly. 

"If you didn't need help, I wouldn't be here, would I?" 

"I guess not. How was the trial? Felt like a nova to me, and I wasn't the one going through it." 

"A nova wouldn't be powerful enough." Luke said, shaking his head. "It felt like I was being cleaned out. Taken apart and put back together, and I just couldn't concentrate. I'm thankful Rukh had a quiet mind, but when Thrawn got near me…I already had too much information running through me." 

"Did you retain much of that knowledge?" 

"Retain it? I could hardly channel it!" 

"That's how I felt when it happened to me, and a few days later I married your mother. I knew I would become a father, knew it because the Force had told me during my trial. It took me sometime to accept that, mostly because I took it as more hope than fact. I also picked up that your grandmother was sick, though that only took me a few hours to notice, and I almost missed my own wedding getting her freed from slavery. She died soon after, but she said that she was glad I came and got her -- even though it defied the temple. I wouldn't have gotten her back if it wasn't for my trial." 

"You're expecting me to learn something that important?" 

"Not really. Getting a vision that urgent is rare; in time, you'll figure out what you gained." 

"I had some visions…" The reluctance in Luke's voice could have stopped an AT-AT. "It was from my past, about you." Anakin stopped walking. They were on the edge of the village. 

"About me Vader or about me Anakin?" 

"Back to that are we? I'd rather not talk about it. I don't think it's really that im-" 

"If it wasn't important, you wouldn't have seen the vision during your trial. Nor would you be trying to get out of telling me about it." 

Luke sighed. "I was…When I got my first speeder bike, I decided to do what all the older kids were doing and took it to Beggar's Canyon. Took me about six months to actually go. See I was about four, maybe three and a half, and it was a few kilometers away. I mean, all I had was a speeder bike." 

"That doesn't sound like something that important." 

"See? It doesn't matter at all. I…" 

"You aren't telling me the important parts." 

"Really, it was nothing." 

"And you saw it in your trial? What is it, Luke? You can trust me with this." 

"Some thugs were beating up on me," 

"And that was important because…" 

"It was what he said that mattered." Anakin waited, but spoke when it became obvious Luke didn't plan on continuing. 

"You said it was about me. Is that true?" Silence. "You really can trust me, son." 

"He said that I was worthless without a father." Luke blurted out quickly, then spun around and started walking. Anakin followed and touched his shoulder. 

"It hurt you. You thought I abandoned you." 

"I was told you were dead…" 

"But you didn't believe it." Anakin hugged his son close. "And it hurt you, then and now." 

"No, not right now." Luke's voice was muffled as he returned his father's hug. 

"Good." They continued walking then. Strange, how emotions came and went so quickly. 

"We don't seem to be getting much peace tonight," Luke remarked, distantly. 

Trula rearranged the small furniture in her tiny grass hut. 

*I was chosen today, I'll work for Lord Vader himself!* she said in the language of the Noghri, moving one of her dolls to a chair. In a higher voice she said, *Oh, daddy, that is wonderful!* She moved a smaller doll around the hut, which was really a bunch of Klom grass she had bent over and tied. 

When her mother called her in she could remove the tie and nothing would be left to show her special place. She didn't like other people in her special place, even though she knew it was selfish. Suddenly, she heard someone approach. 

"Peace, indeed…a most elusive thing." Trula heard the Lord Vader sigh as she stood up straight then gave a Noghri bow. She wasn't tall enough to see or be seen above the grass, but knew Lord Vader had a mystical way of knowing when someone was around. 

"I am tired, and I'm anxious to go to my rest." He paused, as though listening to someone, then gave a weak laugh. "I can't argue with that, I have definitely earned it." 

Trula stood stock-still. If Lord Vader wanted to address her he would. If he cared about her listening, he would dismiss her. Vader spoke again. 

"I'm too old, Luke…there is nothing left for me in this life. I've seen and dealt out more than my share of blood and death. Nothing can persuade me to change my mind. This night holds many endings, Luke, but I see beginnings as well. I can see one thing clearly, at least, and that is that the Jedi will again protect the galaxy. And I can see that you will lead them." Another pause, and Vader again responded with weariness. 

"We've discussed this before, Luke. I'm old, ready to put down and stay there. I look forward to you burning that cursed atmosphere suit. Do it at sunrise, so the Noghri won't notice the light, and east of the village for the same reason." 

Trula was shocked. No! Lord Vader can't die! He was too important to he Noghri. And why wouldn't he want them to honor him? For the first time she heard the other man's soft voice, and was able to see the top of his head. 

"It's getting late. I have a lot to do in the morning." He stopped. "We've been overheard." 

"We have?" Lord Vader sounded surprised. How could that be? 

"Don't worry, child. You've done nothing wrong, we should have been looking to see if we were alone." The man, Luke, sounded kind. He turned away, she couldn't see Vader, but she supposed he turned to him. "Teach me to let my guard down." Luke suddenly lunged in Vader's direction, out of Trula's view. "Let's get you to bed." The two walked away. 

Trula felt like she was in freefall. The bottom had dropped out of her life. Lord Vader would die tonight – if he hadn't just done so-- and she was the only one who knew. Who could she tell? She had to tell someone. The clan leaders? They wouldn't see her, she was too young. She needed someone in power that would listen to her. Thrawn! He listened to anyone as long as they had important information. If she talked to Rukh, he would tell Thrawn about Lord Vader. 

Trula ran as fast as she could toward the Grand Admiral's offices. She'd almost made it to the door when Rukh stepped into her path. 

*Lord Vader has fallen. I heard him talking, and he is dying! Now! Tonight!* 

*What?* was Rukh's shocked reply. *Tonight? How do you know this? How are you sure?* 

*I heard him and Luke talking. Then they told me good night and started to walk away. Vader fell and had to be picked up by Luke. I saw this while I was playing with my dolls.* Trula held up her doll, realizing she had left all her other toys in the field. 

*We must tell the Grand Admiral.* Rukh opened the door and Trula walked up to Thrawn. She stuttered a bit, her basic wasn't the best and she had never spoken to such an important man before. 

Thrawn looked at her as if she had handed him the keys to heaven. 

"So now the truth is out. Thank you, Trula. He rose, then as an afterthought, "Isn't it a bit late for such a young girl to be out? Go to bed, child. It will not seem as bad in the morning. Rukh, I want to meet with Skywalker first thing tomorrow, and we can clear this up for good." Thrawn looked at her again. How could he be so unfeeling? "Now I'm just as sad as you are to hear this news, but he died in the manner and the place he wanted to. When I last saw him he seemed happy. Take comfort in that." 

Luke kneeled beside his father. "It's time, we end this suffering tonight. Are you sure you are ready?" 

"I am all too ready, Luke. I only hope I live through it. I've been dependent on Palpatine for so long, I wonder if I could function without it." 

"I'm sure you can. Rely on the force, as you've told me so often. Rely on me if you're really desperate…" 

"I already rely on you Luke. Lets do this before I lose my nerve." 

Luke took his Father's hand and followed his Father's life force back through space. As he went along he could see the Emperor's Force energy twined around the thin thread like some parasitic creature sucking greedily on its host. Luke pulled and unwound the Emperor's hold on Anakin wile Anakin himself pulled away with all his strength. Hours past, but determination and healing won over Palpatine's greed and power. 

Luke was exhausted when he finally collapsed beside his father. After a moments rest he scraped himself off the floor and gathered up what things he had left in his Father's room over the weeks and headed back to his own room to sleep. To the outside he looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders; inside he had never felt such wonderful triumph. 

  
Sofia Dragon: So what do you all think? Be honest, I can take it! 


	4. Action

Chapter 4: Action

Luke walked up to Thrawn's office. Nearby, Rukh crouched in the shadows practicing his hunting skills and thinking he was unseen. "Hello Rukh, how are you today?" Luke casually remarked. Shock rippled through the force, He looked right into my eyes! Quickly he whispered to Rukh, "You were flawless in hiding, but I can see the force. Anyone else would have been fooled."

Luke passed trough the doorway, carefully making sure he looked as tired as he should with only a few hours sleep. "Hello Luke Skywalker, or do you have a title I should add to that?" Thrawn sat in a chair behind a small desk. The room was neat and organized, though it had not been recently cleaned if the thin layer of dust in the corners was anything to go by. This was how it always looked then: completely organized, but more for the purpose of easily accessing information than to satisfy a need to be neat. Thrawn himself, Luke had noticed, never had a hair out of place or a speck of dirt on him. So he's high on personal appearance and information, low on admitting he's wrong and noticing other's emotions.

"No, I'm just plain Luke." Thrawn nodded, and gestured to Luke to take a cup of tea. "My father told me that you know what's going on here. You approve of it?" Thrawn looked passive, but Luke could sense his thoughts, racing as they always did at impossible speed. _Darth Vader submitting to death. Coming to a planet far from the core with his son to do it. So out of character! I was so far off, but how would I have known he'd turned back to the light side of the force? Yes, that would change everything. That would make it all fit. Anakin was a much more sentimental man, if the records are to be believed. _

"I admit I was mistaken at first. I don't see anything wrong with what is actually happening here." They'd got him all right, he truly believes that my father is dead. Good, that would make this easy. Well... easier.

Thrawn lifted his glass to drink. "Emperor Thrawn sounds great to me, glad you agree." A small sound came from Thrawn, who immediately froze. Luke watched as the man tried unsuccessfully to swallow the tea twice. Luke reached over to Thrawn's left hand, which lay on the desk. He brushed the tips of his fingers on the back of Thrawn's hand, sending the force to do what the man needed done. The force spread up Thrawn's arm and to his throat. Luke emphasized the warm tingles as he relaxed the muscles in Thrawn's throat and down to his stomach, allowing gravity to pull the tea down, and out of the way of the airways. He let go, and Thrawn took a deep breath and a long drawl from the cup. Luke didn't put forth the extra effort to decipher Thrawn's alien mind, but anyone could have guessed what the man was wishing: That he had something a bit stronger in his cup. "Thought you might need help swallowing that." He said into the silence.

"Would you mind explaining that?" Thrawn said after he had time to collect himself.

"I thought you understood? I mean really, it is quite obvious. The Emperor is becoming more and more erratic, we need someone to take his place. Logically my father would take that place, but why do that when we have a much better candidate sitting out here in the unknown regions, just waiting for the chance to use his talents in their full extent." Luke made sure to seem as if it was all elementary, as simple as explaining his choice of clothing.

Thrawn shifted uneasily. "You wish to replace the Emperor with a non-human? We'll be shot, hung, chopped to pieces, or worse by the collective Imperial Government. The Alliance would win wile the Empire stabbed itself in the back trying to find a replacement that someone else didn't want to kill."

"You're overreacting Thrawn. It can be done, and all of it completely legal." Rukh walked in suddenly.

"My Lord, I've just… I don't really believe… Lord Vader is alive!"

Luke didn't give time to react. "Of course he is!"

"But… but he… he no longer needs his suit, he is healed! It is a miracle."

"No it isn't. The healing techniques I used use to be very common place in the Jedi temple. And what is going on here? First I find that you, Thrawn, know nothing about what is going on here, now Rukh expects that my Father to be dead. What next? It starts raining eyeballs?"

"Now wait a moment!" Thrawn stood up suddenly. "You and Lord Vader –"

"Anakin Vader Skywalker, he never really cared for the title."

The slightest pause. "You and Anakin then. You have not been very cooperative. You expect me to just believe whatever you say…"

"We never lied, you came to your own false conclusions. We have a legal plan for getting rid of Palpatine, and it includes you as his replacement. We will go forward with it regardless of your opinion on the matter. The plan is painfully simple." Luke said, coaxing Thrawn back into his chair and signaling Rukh to sit down as well.

"What is the plan, may I ask?" Thrawn's carefully constructed façade fell away to reveal a very confused man tired of fighting for a few scraps of twisted reality. The glow in his red eyes seemed dimmed, the light blue no longer vibrant, this was a man strained to the breaking point.

"Relax and I'll explain. Emperor Palpatine also goes by another name: Darth Sidious. Darth Sidious is his Sith name, a name he chose at the beginning of his training, much the way my Father chose the name Vader." Luke smiled, "'Vader' apparently means 'father' in my grandmother's native language, but that is beside the point." Luke settled into the chair comfortably, and Thrawn sat back, relieved to finally be getting something out of Luke.

"My Father, will approach the Emperor as Vader, but he will not address him as the Emperor, he will address Palpatine as Sidious. Sidious is bound by the laws of the Sith, what few there are, as Vader is. Sidious is Vader's master, and there are laws in the Sith to govern that relationship. Actually, that is just about the only type of law they have. Vader can't harm Sidious, he is bound to him as a servant. There is a small loophole to this.

"If a Sith apprentice gets an apprentice of his own before the old master dies there are laws to govern the removal of one of the three due to another and very important law, a law that holds over all the others as absolute authority. The Law Of Two. This states that there can only be one Master and one apprentice.

"This was started thousands of years ago when there were a large number of Sith. They fought one another because the Dark side filled them with a lust for power. Basically they all wanted to be best, and refused to share the same status with anyone else. The Imperial military would suffer the same situation if everyone started saying things like: 'I'm an Admiral, you can't also be an Admiral because I have no equal', get it?

"So now that I'm Vader's apprentice, there are three. There can never be more than two, so one must die. According to the law we get to choose sides. I will fight beside my father as apposed to fighting alone, but the emperor can try to get Vader or me to fight on his side. It is decided by whoever survives." Luke took a sip of his tea, thankfully it was still quite warm.

"That explains how you can legally kill the Emperor, but what of me? How are you going to pull that off?" Thrawn fixed Luke with a piercing gaze.

Luke let it go right through him. "That is the easiest part. My Father takes the throne, names you as his heir, renounces his Sith training, declares that he is a Jedi, reinstates the Senate, and steps down. Not all at once of course. It will take a wile, and he won't step down as soon as he is done, to give you time to prepare and to explain everything to the Empire's citizens."

"And what will you do?" Thrawn's look showed that he clearly didn't believe Anakin would give up all that power.

"I will reinstate the Jedi order with My Father's help and guidance. What else would we do, sit around and think up ways to confuse you?" Luke smiled, but Thrawn looked ready to pounce. "Joking of course, but there really wouldn't be much else to do. You are a fair person, you don't want the title, but that's exactly the point. The thought of all that power doesn't dazzle you, as it does most Imperials. Power may corrupt, but some people handle it much better than others. You can do it, we know you can." Luke stood. "And now I must get back to my studies, my Father is waiting. Admiral." He gave an abbreviated bow and left.

Some time later Thrawn looked down at the data tapes in front of him. "An interesting history lesson, I would have never thought to get out the tapes on Sith culture. Luke is right though, it is all perfectly, painfully legal."

Rukh walked over the Thrawn's side. "Perhaps, My Lord, you should start getting ready as he suggested."

"I dislike not having any options, Rukh, but everyone has to put up with things they dislike now and then." Thrawn sat down again in his desk chair and began writing. When the superiors on his home world found out about this… well, he would cross that sinkhole when he came to it.

* * *

"Father, are you completely sure about this? I really don't think that…" 

"Calm down Luke, if a Star Destroyer is safe enough for me then it's safe enough for you." Anakin interrupted.

"I blew up the Death Star!" Luke argued as they rounded the corner and Thrawn joined them.

"An accomplishment I am quite proud of."

"Which is the single most biased opinion in the galaxy. How can I say this nicely… I can't, nine out of ten imperials want to kill me. 99.999 of the rest would like to watch me killed. The rest I can count on one finger."

"What about the entire Noghri race?"

"Alright then, but there won't be many Noghri on that Star Destroyer will there? I'm just saying that it would be a lot easier for me to just take my X-wing and…"

"I have to see what the political climate is like. This is going to take a lot of planning…"

"And my best friend is being sold to the biggest piece of slime in the galaxy wile encased in carbonite..."

"Point, but it won't be a long delay, and it is necessary…"

"It's necessary for me to get to Tatooine before Jabba gets board with looking at a frozen Han Solo wall ornament, or Leia does something stupid. The latter being my biggest fear. She is rational most of the time, but put enough stress on her and it isn't pretty." Luke tried to explain.

"I have had a number of debates with her in the Senate, and I know her better then you think. However, I can't permit you to leave yet." Anakin replied. "The discussion is closed. Now Admiral Thrawn, I'm sure you'll agree that moving closer into the heart of the Empire would make your assent to power simpler."

"Yes, but I still have my reservations on the whole process. Making sense to three people is fine, making sense to three hundred billion is the trick." Thrawn replied.

"I'll last five minutes on that damned ship…" Luke mumbled.

"You will hold your tongue, or I'll hand it to you. The topic is not open to discussion any longer." Anakin shot back, squeezing Luke's shoulder for emphasis.

Luke mumbled something unintelligible, but nodded.

"Good. Then it's all settled. You will wait until this is all set up before leaving to compensate for my previous error…"

"So that's what you call selling my…"

"Thrawn will head further into the Empire and put his fingers into a few things…" Anakin continued, ignoring Luke.

"…best friend into slavery and…"

"…to make his presence more commonly known."

"…tortured my girlfriend…" Luke counted off on his fingers.

"So that… what did you just say?" Anakin stopped walking and stared at his son like he had just sprouted a frog out of his head.

Luke couldn't look his father strait in the eye. "Not formally, and me and Han were having a bit of a fight for her, not that she didn't enjoy teasing the two of us, but yes she was my girlfriend."

"Since when?"

"I rescued her from the evil clutches of the Empire, rushed gallantly into battle under impossible odds, and destroyed the Death Star almost single-handedly. I'm not a toddler anymore Father, what do you think happens at a victory party like that?." Luke wasn't kidding, and omitting the fact that he generally avoided those parties, and had never actually partaken of such activities would have a much greater impact on his Father.

It took Anakin a full minute before he started walking again. Not one more word was said until the two of them said goodbye to Thrawn and Rukh. It was another ten before Luke would look at his Father.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to treat you like a baby, but in my mind that's what you are, my child. I'll admit that I've always been a bit over possessive, and that sometimes that comes across as oppressive, but I don't mean to hurt you." Anakin said slowly as Luke did the calculations for light speed.

"Correction, you don't mean to hurt me anymore. A month ago you would have locked me away in my cell until I begged to be let out – and probably longer – just to get me to stay a bit longer then I might normally... "

"I was born a slave, Luke. I learned fast that if I didn't fight for what I wanted or hold on to what I have I would lose it…"

"And you would trade my life for my friends? You would give them to that to gain me?"

"I did what I thought necessary. Nothing more or less. I was little more than a machine then man then."

"I understand. It's all the stress talking. I didn't mean to snap like that, but I'm worried about my friends."

"And you will be able to help them better with my help than without it. Now lets both get some sleep. It will be a long ride and neither of us got enough rest last night." Anakin yawned as he reclined in the pilots chair.

"That's the best idea you've had all morning." Luke agreed as he also slipped into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Captain Donti was slightly confused. A man with Darth Vader's personal codes and identification signals had contacted his Star Destroyer via a distress signal. Once they were within normal communication range he had asked to hitch a ride on their cargo ship due to a 'dwindling fuel supply.' The man had a rim accent, and there was someone in the background he later identified as his son, and that one of the men in his crew said was a dead ringer for the Rebel Luke Skywalker. Donti now stood in the hanger bay watching the imperial troop transport ship land. His guards may not be the best of the Imperial fleet, but they were good men and would take care of anything amiss. After all Vader was just reported last night as being missing, although not publicly. Donti did have ways of knowing things before most other people, and could probably match wits with that alien Thrawn if he ever got the chance. 

The hatch opened, and Donti started walking across the bay. The older man with the codes came first, followed by that stringy younger man. Side by side there was no way they were not father and son, unless one was an imperfect clone. "Now what is this really about Mr. Anakin?" Donti said crisply.

"We just need a ride to the nearest station, or wherever you are willing to take us, Captain Patrick Donti." Anakin said cleanly.

"How . . . did you know my . . . ?" Donti never, ever, used his full first name.

"Perhaps I ought to introduce myself better. I am Anakin Vader, Jedi Knight, and this is my son Lucious." The man started.

"He has a thing for using the full first name even when we don't like it. Look, excuse the old man, he likes to play with people's minds." The younger man, Lucious, broke in. Anakin stepped back looking annoyed.

"You are related to Lord Darth Vader?" The question was stuck in his mind.

"Yes." The young man said quickly, "Though it's not something I prefer to use to bum a ride." He finished apologetically.

"Well I do have a room that you could use. I don't see anything wrong with taking you to the next port." Donti signaled for them to follow him, and then decided to go digging. "So, I hear that Lord Vader's missing. Has something happened to him?"

"I'd say he . . ."

"You shouldn't son." Anakin said, placing one hand on his son's shoulder.

"Father, he isn't coming back. Accept that as truth because it is, I feel it in the force." He replied defiantly.

"Not coming back? Is he hurt badly then?" Donti said with near genuine concern.

"He's in perfect health, considering circumstances. He just is not going to come back to the Empire."

"Do you think it's wise to be saying these things openly my son?" Anakin said quickly. "Granted Donti knows how to seal his lips well, but we could be overheard."

"These halls are empty, Anakin. I wanted to talk to you and so I used my normal procedures. With your apparent knowledge of me you should know what that is." Donti soothed the older man.

Anakin nodded, "We can't let word get out of Darth's . . . absence. I'm going to Coruscant, and my son is here to tie up a few loose ends in discreet places. If word does get out those ends will most likely go into permanent hiding. This is something our family has to get through."

"I am sorry for your loss." Donti added.

"I am sorry for the billions he most likely didn't leave us a single credit out of." The younger man said before being hit in the shoulder.

"We don't know. Not for sure, so clam up." Anakin ordered.

"So I continue my training as usual." The younger man changed the subject.

"Of coarse you do. You aren't a Jedi yet, and you will need every bit of it soon. I take it we've stopped because this is the room. Thank you Captain, we appreciate this. Now you, get in there and start reading. There is a lot in that book you don't know yet, and I intend for you to at least know the list of abilities even if you can't do them all yet."

Donti was suddenly alone in the hall. "What an odd family." He mumbled to himself.

Luke set down his X-wing in the swamps of Degoba. Luke was glad for the nap he enjoyed before Capitain Donti dropped them off at C'barant spaceport. Anakin bid Luke a lengthy farewell and headed off to Coruscant and 'other destinations of interest.'

"There are many that owe Anakin a favor, and far more that would bend backwards for Vader." his father had explained. "With all the codes I know and the contacts I've kept track of we can cut three months of strategic attacks out of the plan without rushing against the crono."

With that he left Luke to go help his friends, but there was something Luke had to do first. Luke approached the low hut that almost blended perfectly with the surrounding swamp.

"Master Yoda? Master Yoda I've come to speak with you." Luke called. He reached out with the force but his perceptions were clouded by more then the overabundance of life. For a moment he fought for clarity, and then gave in.

"Done, you have great things. Doubt they were possible I did. Amazed am I." The diminutive Jedi Master was sitting in the crook of two large tree branches. His green wrinkled skin blended perfectly with the hanging moss.

"Thank you Master. I came to keep my promise and fill you in on anything you missed through the force." Luke bowed to Yoda as the Master hopped down from his tree and walked over to his home.

"Discrete were you. Little I know. That you have gone with Vader I do know. Tell all you should." Luke followed the small Jedi into the low hut, being very mindful of his head, and sat down to tell the long story.

"More then I thought have you done. Underestimate you I have, both of you. Right I was when dangerous I said Anakin was. Wrong was I after that. Handle the situation badly, we did. Hard times they were, and blind were we. Destroy him, I thought you should. Destroy Vader you did, but you freed Anakin as well. See that I did not. Biased I was, though accurate my visions were." Yoda sat bent in his chair.

"You taught me that visions are often ambiguous and interpreting them is a delicate and complicated process. It is easy to get things backwards." Luke soothed. Yoda laughed at him, looking suddenly old.

"Believe I do not that any other could have succeeded. A loving father he would have been. Separate them we should not have." Yoda suddenly poked the young Jedi with his glimmer stick. "Compassion a Jedi's strength must be, but love his life's breath. Lost that knowledge had become, arrogant were we. The chosen one you father is, and restored the Jedi will be, but humble we must remain!" Yoda hobbled to his bed. "A great Jedi you may well become, but one thing remains before knighted you will be."

"Palpatine," Luke nodded. "Master, are you feeling well?"

"Look I so old to your young eyes? Hmp! When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not!" the mismatched pair laughed for a moment. "Rest I need."

"Please Master, there is one more thing I need to ask. You seemed to know my mother well but you never speak of her directly. What can you tell me about her?"

"Caring, she was. Pure and pretty, your father might say. Brave was she, and selfless. Find I hope you will, one like her of your own. Love, a Jedi should, all things, all life. Friendship a Jedi should thrive on. Wrong were we to isolate our younglings."

"My father once said she could have saved him."

"Yes! Say that he would, though how true that is none can say. Understand we did not until too late it was. The source of his darkness his family was not. Your sister nearly did it… and know about her he did not."

"My sister? But…"

"Ask her you should, about when a child she was. Your mother she would remember. A twin sister you have, Luke."

* * *

A/N: **_This story is not being reserected_**, I'm just cleaning up the mess of disjointed snippets the end of this dissolved into. I hate this plotline. I hate this story. I can't stand the Star Wars fandom anymore. I started writing this in 8th grade, and I'm now in my third year of college. I've revisited it just to see how much progress I've made. I reject this reality, and substitute Shreelock Holmes and Harry Potter. 


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